Cordelia Frances Biddle

Author

As an independent scholar, novelist and direct descendent of Francis Martin Drexel, grandfather of Saint Katharine Drexel, and of Nicholas Biddle, president of the Second Bank of the United States, I’ve had the privilege to combine historical research with family lore when writing nonfiction and fiction. My Martha Beale Series, set in 1840’s Philadelphia, explores the chasm between wealth and poverty during a turbulent period. Martha Beale makes an engaging heroine. My first novel, Beneath the Wind, examined the effects of imperialism in 1903. I’m currently writing a biography of Nicholas Biddle.

Saint Katharine: The Life of Katharine Drexel had its inception when I attended her canonization. A cold, rainy October day blossomed into sunshine when Pope John Paul II, now declared a saint, announced her name. It was a transformative moment. I knew then that I had to write her story. The journey led me into her heart: the fun-loving young woman who became an ardent proponent of social parity and racial justice. Her credo was “Think it; Desire it; Speak it; Act it”.

I’m delighted to hear from readers and invite you to write me. I promise a timely response.